A taqueria chain in California has been ordered by the Department of Labor to pay $140,000 in back pay and damages to 35 employees for a range of infractions, including hiring a fake priest to elicit “confessions” from its workers.
On June 12, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the results of an investigation and civil court case involving Taqueria Garibaldi, which has a location in Sacramento and one in Roseville, and its owners and operators. In the news release, the department reported finding several violations: that the owners illegally paid employee tips to managers, denied overtime pay and hired a fake priest to uncover suspected wrongdoings by employees.